Helston
Helston has plenty for visitors of all ages, being a lovely old busy market town with a mix of victorian and georgian architecture with many restaurants and country pubs serving good food. Helston lies inbetween Falmouth and Penzance at the junction of the A394 and 3083 which serves the Lizard Peninsula. Helston is one of the five "stannage towns" of Cornwall, where tin was brought to be weighed, taxed, and stamped before it was allowed to be sold. The prosperity that the tin industry brought to Helston is remembered in the name of Coinagehall Street (coigne being the name for the corner of a tin ingot that was cut off to be assayed for quality).
Helston is maybe most popular for the 'Furry' or Floral Dance held on the 8th May, unless the 8th May is a sunday or monday then it takes place on the preceding saturday. The event starts at 7am, thousands of visitors throng the streets all day and there's a carnival atmosphere from dawn to well into the night.
Helston was originally a thriving port up until the river over many years silted up gradually the port became non existent but now has become Cornwall's largest freshwater lake named Loe Pool separated from the sea by along stretch of sand named Loe Bar. The banks of the lake are blessed with a variety of attractive walking paths, making this a popular spot for day trips.
One outstanding feature of Helston is The Monument at the end of Coinagehall Street, built in 1834 to the memory of Humphry Millet Grylls. A Helston banker and solicitor, his actions kept open the local tin mine, Wheal Vor, and saved 1200 jobs
Walking up Coinagehall Street, you'll pass the Blue Anchor, a thatched building, originally a monks' rest house, which became a tavern in the 15th century. Miners received their wages in the pub, which is possibly the oldest private brewery in the country. Further up, you'll find one of the oldest buildings in Helston, the Angel Hotel, the former town house of the celebrated Godolphins who represented Helston in Parliament for many years. Helston Folk Museum is situated behind the Guildhall. The museum is crammed with memorabilia tracing the history of the town from as far back as the bronze Age.